Sri Lankan Female Business Leader at US Fortune’s Mentorship Programme

Manohari Abeyesekera, Head of Strategic Business Development at Hayleys PLC, joined women leaders from 15 countries in the US last week for the Fortune-US Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership.  Ms. Abeyesekera and 18 other participants will spend a month working with executives from the Fortune Most Powerful Women community to enhance their business and leadership skills.

“When women have opportunities to lead in business, we all benefit – companies, communities, and economies,” said US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz in a statement to the media.  “Ms. Abeyesekera’s selection for this prestigious programme reflects her demonstrated ability to deliver results, and will empower her to serve as a mentor to rising talent.”

Ms. Abeyesekera has carried out more than US $200 million in acquisitions at Hayleys, where she is also involved in restructuring businesses and investor relations.  The Fortune-U.S. Department of State Global Women’s Mentoring Partnership is a public-private partnership between the US Department of State, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and Vital Voices Global Partnership. 

The partnership leverages the expertise of American leaders in the public and private sectors to support and advance women’s economic empowerment.  Upon completion of the programme, mentees will return home with business and leadership skills to accelerate positive change in their communities.  

This year’s class of emerging leader mentees includes women from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Egypt, Fiji, Ghana, India, Kenya, North Macedonia, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Over 320 alumnae of this programme have worked with mentors from prestigious U.S. companies, such as Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Guardian Life, and Accenture.